North coast councillors have voted down a proposal to push for a redesign of a roundabout repeatedly painted in red, white and blue.
Two roundabouts on a ring road around Limavady are painted in the colours with the arrows in red and blue.
A Sinn Féin representative urged members of a Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council committee to authorise penning a letter to the Department for Infrastructure asking for a redesign.
But the Environmental Services Committee voted down the motion by eight votes to six, split along unionist/nationalist lines.
Sinn Féin Councillor Brenda Chivers proposed writing the letter to the DfI, adding she had already spoken to department officials about the matter.
“The new design will be to take away the arrows and lower the height to allow council to complete maintenance of the grass,” Ms Chivers said.
According to the Northern Constitution, she added it would provide “a warmer welcome” to visitors arriving at the gateways to the town.
“It would enhance the town. The way it is now is an eyesore and this is the best solution.”
But DUP Councillor Adrian McQuillan, arguing the council has no responsibility for road maintenance, said: “This has not got nothing to do with the council at all.”
“Because it’s painted red, white and blue is the whole reason this has come to the council,” Mr McQuillan said.
In response, SDLP Councillor Orla Beattie said members were getting complaints from the public, which alone justified the council intervening. She noted the original black and white arrows were painted in those colours for road safety reasons.
“I don’t care if they are red, white and blue or green, white and orange – they are supposed to be black and white.”
The roundabouts around Limavady have been painted red, white and blue on several occasions over the years, but also at one point daubed less expertly in green and orange.
In 2018, the red, white and blue painted on the previous year was removed. It was painted again and contractors sent to change it back later that year were threatened with violence.
